User Reviews

This movie will touch those who feel a bit lost in life. The movie began with Chris Colfer's character being killed by lightning, and it may have been the most random and unlikely event to take place realistically and you will feel sceptical about how this will all play out during the movie but by the end of it, re-watching this scene is extremely sad.

Yes, it is a high school movie, bringing in all the clichéd cliques and stereotypes but never in a cheesy manner. All characters play a minor role but ultimately this is Chris Colfer's movie. He plays a great, passionate and driven kid and this only makes his fate more sad. Rebel Wilson does a fun job in playing the odd girl who perhaps is the only person who truly likes Chris' character, Carson.

There is a focus on Carson's relationship with his mother an alcoholic and depressed women, who was left by Carson's father during their marriage. Without saying much it is quite emotional towards the end. It is a great movie, sending a strong message on ambition, future, life and friendship. Watch it, but be warned, it is not a cheesy high school movie, nor will it leave you in a uplifted but emotional state as in the Perks of Being a Wallflower.

"It doesn't matter if you're stuck in the past or if you're trying to forget the past; what matters is what you do with the present"- Struck by Lightning.

Albeit far from perfect, this is a nice little movie, with an uncommon script, fresh and very witty. Unfortunately, the movie feels too short, and sometimes suffers from its independent status, particularly in some of the camera work: in some scenes, it felt like we were missing reaction shots, or simply transitions inbetween scenes. I read reviews stating that Carson was a jerk, but I feel that part of these comments were derived from the fact that when we get to the story, Carson already has already been subjected for a long while to bullying, and therefore already hates everyone/is hated by everyone, and as we don't get to see what brought him to this mindset, the audience might not get why he acts the way he does towards his peers. Itseit as Clfer not wanting to delve into "Glee territory", where his character's bullying has been shown time and again, and preferred focusing the story on his main character's drive. Carson may appear to be a jerk, but he is just a kid who refuses to get jaded and to give up on what he believes in, despite having no support system at all. One particular part that felt short were Carson's classmates, who were not developed enough, which is probably the biggest flaw of the script. Particularly, we could have had more insight into what they had finally written for the magazine, and how they realized what it meant for them to finally express themselves. After all, it's Carson's biggest victory and accomplishment and what makes him happy right before he is struck by lightning, and it would have brought more depth to characters that were clichéd. It didn't need a lot more, but sincere movie in only 83 minutes, 10 to 15 minutes could have been allowed to deepen the characters. That is the main flaw to this script, which is otherwise engaging and refreshing when it comes to the high school setting. Generally speaking, Colfer did an awesome job at depicting a very dysfunctional family and Carson's general loneliness. This guy had literally no one to rely on or to confide in, between a runaway Dad, a senile Grandma and of course his Mum, too wrapped up in her past and own self pity to support him. In that sense, watching Carson's family life, you can understand his desire to get out of Clover and finally be fully who he is without being judged or put down. Carson's drive and strength to never back down for anyone was truly great to watch, for so many times people just deny who they are to conform with society's standards. One of the plus of this movie, apart from its unusual script, is its cast. All the parts with the adults and Carson's family were stellar, whether it was in their interactions or dialog or simply the acting. The interactions between Carson's mum and his dad's new wife were very good, Allison Janney and Christina Hendricks acted the hell out of them. Polly Bergen and Rebel Wilson were spot on too. As for Chris Colfer, well if there is any proof that he is not just "Kurt hummel from Glee", well here it is. Yes, the High School setting and the age of his character are the same as in Glee, but Carson has noting to do with Kurt: his voice, his posture, his demeanor, his attitude were nothing like Kurt's (except maybe in some instances in Season 1, where Kurt would be extra-snarky and a tad bitchy, which I miss). Carson was abrasive, never let anyone walk over himself, threw tantrums, shown very seldom moments of kindness (with his Grandma and Malerie). His best craft remains drama, particularly the scene where Carson just learned that he was accepted to NW but somehow didn't receive the letter, and he tells to the counselor, without even looking at her, that he never saw the ocean. In this instance, he totally conveyed just how crushed he was by these news and that, at this moment, nothing matters for his life was ended. Some comments seemed to say that they don't see the point in killing the character, and right away in the movie. I, in the contrary, thinks that it served 2 main goals: show that sometimes, it's not the goal that counts but the journey (Carson might die, but he dies happy and he succeeded in making his peers write), and also show that life is short and unfair: don't wait to achieve what you want to, and never stop trying.

I was worried as I started watching it that I wouldn't be as affected by it as I was by the book. It all worked on me by the end of it though. I think the book did a lot more for Carson and the students and the movie did a lot more for his parents and April. ALLISON JANNEY WAS WONDERFUL. And Christina Hendricks - her side of the story was really missed in the book. So many different sides/themes were missed in the book, but the thoughts and build up in the book made the story feel longer. I think I would have liked the movie more if I hadn't had read the book because of that - I had different expectations for this movie, so it was a lot better on its second viewing.

Rebel Wilson, Sarah Hyland, and Ashley Rickards were great. Chris Colfer knocked it out of the park. Polly Bergen as Carson's grandma was amazing, as well. Angela Kinsey's character, the school counselor, was adorable and funny. Actually, the acting was pretty stellar all across the board, except for the one teacher at the beginning of the movie telling Carson what his essay was about. That was bad.

April and Sheryl were the best characters, and the best scenes were between Sheryl and Carson, in my opinion. The adult characters were written better and more fleshed out, which made the scenes with Carson's family on a different level than with the school scenes.

However, though the movie didn't have a lot on the kids Carson blackmailed, I prefer it to the book because the book had Carson too preachy to me when he apologized to the kids/gave them speeches/noticed Vicki cut herself/etc - things were spelled out too much. In the movie I loved that we weren't told how to feel about Carson or the other kids. He was shown as an unlikeable character (but I did really like him) and that his behavior towards his peers had consequences. Even if high school isn't forever, you still shouldn't treat that experience like it doesn't matter.

In the book, he and Malerie's relationship was better and he decided to listen to her more and be a better friend right before he died. He started to care about his peers instead of just looking down on them because they couldn't do what he could do. After he blows up at everyone when he tells them he's blackmailing them to enter his literary magazine, he turns around to talk to Malerie but realizes she had left too, like he couldn't stop himself from scaring her off, as well. I think having that scene in the movie would have helped Carson's character in the eyes of the viewer.

The revelation of Carson's positive energy in his death was more special to me in the book because it showed how he really changed and finally had a positive outlook on his life before he died. I'm sad Sheryl didn't say the line about how Carson was positive when he was struck in the movie, because that was the line that really made me love it and understand it. But this line was "the boy who flew" in the movie to me, so I still really loved how it ended. It still showed he had managed to accomplish things, and that he achieved his dream of getting into his college of choice even if he didn't get to go to it. The voice-over about needing dreams to take his time was very inspirational, and the last line before the credits with the rising music sealed the message.

It wasn't a perfect movie, but it was still pretty good. Watch it.

I read the book first before I watched this movie on Netflix.

This movie is about a kid named Carson Phillips, a senior living in a small town trying to get into his dream school and being a journalist. He is trying to better his chances by starting a literary magazine. The thing is though, no one even cares about the high school newspaper he runs or the writing club he started. So, he starts blackmailing people to send in submissions.

I think that Chris Colfer gave himself the best dialogue than the rest of them. One weak point is that the other people that played the other students were just caricatures. Later on, some of them grew in their character. I'm glad that they dove into why Carson had this type of attitude like they did in the book. If they didn't, then Carson would have been an asshole for no reason whatsoever. So it is a good start for Chris Colfer and good thing that he branching out to other things. He is still young, so he has room to grow.

Like many of the professional reviews have pointed out, this script is obnoxious, arrogant and one-sided with a personal agenda.

The main character Carson is the most unlikable protagonist I've ever seen in a movie (and that includes Bella from Twilight).

Carson is a bully. Pure and simple. He think's he's better than everyone else around him, and thinks he's justified in telling his classmates that they "look like *beep*" and are going to be nothing but "future farmers and inmates".

Considering Colfer claims to want to inspire people to live their dreams in this movie, that seems like an odd method for Carson to use.

He blackmails people, slut-shaming them and using two gay boys sexuality against them. Considering Colfer is a some-what role model for LGBT rights and he's admitted this is based on real events, I find this is very worrying.

This film is nothing but a self-indulgent, arrogant shame-fest which Colfer wrote to shame and insult his home town of Clovis.

There is no real story to it, and none of the other students are developed as characters.

The only good parts of this film are Alison Janey and Christina Hendrix, who understand the art of acting and transforming a one-dimensional character into something more. Well done ladies!

Colfer's acting is so cringe-worthy and proves that he's only playing himself one again, just like on Glee.

The only people I can see liking this movie are teenage sociopaths like Carson who feel the world owes them something and think they are better than everyone else.

I seriously question the sanity and morality of anyone who likes this movie or takes it seriously.

When the Alzheimer's-afflicted grandmother says "I'm worried about my grandson", my heart starts to break and this terrible feeling lasts until the end of the movie.

"Struck by Lightning" begins with the 17-year-old protagonist, Carson Phillips (played by Chris Colfer) getting killed by a bolt from the sky in the parking lot. As he recounts and narrates his final days when he was still alive, ambitious and walking around blackmailing his fellow classmates in school to contribute in his literary magazine with the help of his best, and only friend, Malerie (Rebel Wilson), we learn about his plans to get into Northwestern University and become the editor of the New Yorker and writer of the NY Times and LA Times, or even win the Nobel Peace Prize. Mainly, he just wants to leave this town he never leaves, or live a life he never lives.

Carson lives with his divorced mother, Sheryl (Allison Janney) an alcoholic who tells her son that she wishes she had an abortion in the 90s. His father, Neal (Dermot Mulroney) is about to remarry a pregnant local pharmacist, April (Christina Hendricks) who does not know the existence of his ex-wife and his son. There's also the adorable and aging grandmother (Polly Bergen) who no longer recognizes Carson, but still remembers the first story he wrote her "''Once upon a time there was a boy who wanted to fly'."

The movie is about Carson wanting to fly away from this hell hole he lives in, with almost no friends or no family that cares and loves him. It is heartbreaking to see him fail in the end, despite all his effort. He never reaches any of his goals, never says any goodbyes, and never even graduates highschool. But he did actually manage to escape from all the pain in his life: when he drives to see the sunset and ocean for the first time towards the end; when he gets killed by the lightning; and when he completes his final story to his grandmom ("Once upon a time there was a boy who flew.")

Everyone wants to say goodbye to him even when they know it's impossible. His mother repeatedly calls him when she finds out he is dead; Malerie wipes her teary eyes with tissue when she watches the old videos of Carson; grandmom leaves the scarf-blanket she has been knitting on the coffin; and every classmates he blackmailed attended his funeral. They are all witness to his struggle to leave and a boy who does not gives up until his last breath, leaving an emotional void in everyone's hearts.

This movie is a realistic lesson on life and growing up and captures the hardships involved. It may not be smart to kill off the central character in the opening scene but this is not a cheesy happy high school coming-of-age feel-good comedy. Chris Colfer, 22 years old, also wrote the screenplay and he proves himself that he can write and act when he is not singing and dancing as "Glee"'s Kurt Hummel The story is random and nevertheless entertaining most of the time. The film is fast-paced and witty but the narrative does not fully explores the potential of the relationships. However, I understand the reason with all the unfilled gaps because it's just life. We can't always expect to get what we want: closure, development, good-byes.

I am glad I watched this movie and it moved me so many times. In the end our tragic anti- hero Carson becomes the boy who flew but never flew away but what's more important is that he has had a meaningful journey in this insightful movie about life, future, hopes and dreams that never end.

Chris Colfer please do not attempt script writing again because this movie is honestly just so out of place and awkward. I was bored to tears trying to get interested in this cliché high school movie but I couldn't finish it so this is a review of the first half. A lot of one liners just being said like they are first time actors in a high school production play. I didn't laugh once. His mother is a total unbelievable bitch. His mom is about 15-20 years older than his dad which made the casting people look like idiots. Then his dad has a younger girlfriend so in my head I am thinking, "does this man like older women or younger ones?" Wtf is the purpose of making a movie where you already know that he dies by getting stuck by lightning? Just so many flaws not even worth it to watch it just to make fun of it.

A protagonist does not blackmail other people. This simple fact renders any sympathy or likability for the main character impossible. The movie itself sees this awful kid trying to achieve his goals by threatening to ruin the lives of other people. I expect nothing less from Hollywood these days, as an increasing number of films seem to have protagonists that some people would like to kick down a flight of stairs. This movie is no exception. All I can say is at least he got what was coming to him. Too bad he didn't go to jail, like he deserved, but his fate is the only satisfactory thing about this movie. Hollywood please stop whatever this nonsense is of trying to make criminals and bullies look cool. Just stop.

So I'm fighting to write this because the tears are blocking my sight and my runny nose is making it even harder to breath because the last scene just ripped every ounce of breath I had. The movie was on my To-Watch list for quite a while and I honestly don't know why. Perhaps I thought it would be quite slow, perhaps I dreaded the cliché scenes that I honestly thought this movie was going to have. Silly me, this movie is way far from cliché it might as well be from a different planet.

In a hackneyed community were people disregard their core, abilities, dreams, hopes, and personalities for social acceptance, a single individual refused to do so. Refused to give up who he is and what he believed in for the, ever so monotonous, social norm. He was a speck of salt in a vast ocean. Strong Waves thrashed him about yet he still struggled on swimming towards shore. Doesn't move with the waves but stands against it's strong force. Till one day a different force took all his strength away and the waves continued to thwack, disregarding by his previous acts of resistance.

The emotions it spoke was honest-to-god sincere,unidealized, raw. The morals it displayed was pure and righteous. It speaks the truth and thrives for the truth. It screams to reach out the hearts of people as the protagonist did and the movie certainly touched mine, from the very first minutes. It speaks about expectations and reality. The plot is quite simple, but very puissant. Yet it is incredibly hard for any movie, form of writing, or person to convey it adequately. But this movie did.

This movie wasn't about the unsuccessful conducts of a person who sought something different, it is about how a single person strived and made an incredible effort for something he genuinely believed in. Because of that, that person received remarkable satisfaction.

I saw this at a film festival and understood immediately why it got an early comparison to John Hughes movies. Like those, SBL doesn't talk down to its audience, nor is it sweet in the slightest. There are lots of one-liners and snarky little jokes that zip by quickly and naturally, fully expecting the audience to catch them without having to be hit over the head. Even the tender moments (and there are quite a few of them) are flavored with a dash of vinegar.

Personally I was surprised by how empathetic lead character Carson Phillips was. He's a self important little snot, but I could easily recognize a deep core of frustration at the heart of his bitter snark. Carson's problem is not that he doesn't care, it's that he cares too much, about everything, and can't understand why other people don't. (Or won't) He can't relate to his peers - except for a shy, quirky girl named Malerie (Rebel Wilson) - and the adults in his life regularly let him down. Everyone around him seems to be either clinging to the past or stubbornly locked into the present, while all Carson wants is a chance to get out of his little town, spread his wings and embrace the future.

Allison Janney and Rebel Wilson have been getting much of the pre-release buzz, but this movie belongs to Chris Colfer all the way. From the first frame to the last, he is the driving force and he is excellent. People who want to write this off as starring "that kid from Glee" should give this movie a chance. I think they'll be pleasantly surprised. Glee and Kurt Hummel never even crossed my mind as I was watching and it took no effort at all to get lost in the narrative and enter into Carson's world for 90 minutes. The actors were all well cast and everyone seemed to really sink their teeth into these roles. And for a first-time writer, Colfer truly impressed me. The plot holds together well and both the teen and adult perspectives are believable and interesting.

Oh man this is garbage. I can't like it. I just can't. This is a horribly terribly upsetting movie, that includes poor characters , horrible p,lot and ending, and no character development, the story doesn't really wrap all the tight ends tight enough, and this movie just falls apart. Basically by the end of the movie everyone hates him, he can't get a good education and go tot he college he wants to his movie is on drugs, and hates her, and his fathers a jerk who is married and having a baby to another person and then he dies and has a horrible funeral. The characters just don't meet good resolutions. I want to watch a movie that starts out bad but ends on a good note. Not some sappy film about a teen who's got a hard life and dies at the end. Oh my god. F

*****MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*****

Wow! The worse movie ever! Based on a 13,412 user rating this movie was given a 6.3 (probably by the same people who voted for Trump) absolutely horrible! This awesome kid who tries to motivate a brain dead High School, gets hit by lightning and dies. And I'm thinking maybe they will publish his magazine at the end, perhaps, it goes viral or something. Nada, zip, zero, and last but not least...NOTHING! I mean, if there was some way for me to be reimbursed for the loss of the 1hr 30min this movie has taken from my life span, I would certainly pursue that avenue!

This coming of age film was well written and showed one of the other sides of Actor/Writer/Producer Chris Colfer. He originally wrote it when he was about 18 and dipped into some very complicated matters such as divorce. I would recommend this to anyone of any age. Some matters, although they seem very childlike (like blackmailing others to get what you want), touch on some serious aspects such as how schools are run. Although it is unlikely for someone to get struck by lightning and die spontaneously, it does bring awareness to many problems. Rebel Wilson is incredible in this. Even in the end when half the theater was balling their eyes out and i had the equivalent of a glass full of water on my sweater from crying, she made everyone laugh literally out loud. Her one liners were all her; she was doing improv for pretty much the whole move. Recap: EVERYONE NEEDS TO WATCH THIS. its not sappy but its sad, its hilarious, and it touches one important subjects.